Switch control mechanism for a carwash installation

ABSTRACT

In a carwash installation, a roof brush is suspended on a rope for vertical movement in relation to a vehicle, and the brush and vehicle are movable in a horizontal direction in relation to each other. An actuating lever responsive to the movements of the brush and the rope actuates a switch into a first position wherein the relative horizontal movement of the brush and the vehicle is effectuated and a second position wherein the vertical movement of the brush is effectuated.

United States Patent 1 13,s93,3ss

Inventor Josef Hoimann Oberschurer Str. 5, 8752 Krombach, Germany Appl. No. 803,364 Filed Feb. 28, I969 Patented July 20, I971 Prionty Feb. 29, 1968 Germany P 16 80 307.9

SWITCH CONTROL MECHANISM FOR A Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts Attorney-Kurt Kelman ABSTRACT: In a carwash installation, a roof brush is suspended on a rope for vertical movement in relation to a vehicle, and the brush and vehicle are movable in a horizontal EQ direction in relation to each other. An actuating lever respon- "wing sive to the movements of the brush and the rope actuates a U.S.Cl 15/21 switch into a first position wherein the relative horizontal Int. Cl. 860s 3/06 movement of the brush and the vehicle is effectuated and a Field of Search 15121 C, second position wherein the vertical movement of the brush is 53, 97 effectuated.

1 BRUSH ROTARY 12 DRIVE AND F CONTROL CIRCUIT 2 4 i 1 1 PMn-mnmomn 3,593,358

SH ROTARY 12 R E AND CONTROL CIRCUIT IN V ENTO R: JOSEF H MANN ENT SWITCH CONTROL MECHANISM FOR A CARWAS I-I I INSTALLATION BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The. present invention relates to. a carwash installation, and more particularly to .a mechanism for actuating a switcheffectuating the up and down movement of a. rotary roof brush mounted for pendulum movement about a substantially horizontal pivoting axis and suspended by. rope means including a rope for moving the b'rush:up anddown in relation toa vehicle to be washed.

ln installations of this type, the-vehicle andthe brush .are movable in a substantially horizontal direction inrelation-to each other, i.e. either the vehicle is movable supported for movement past andv underneath the roof brush or the roof brush is movable supported for movement past and above the vehicle while the same stands still. ln-such installations, it is conventional to provide-switch means for alternatingly operating a control circuit for the one or the other movement, i.e. the relative horizontal movement between vehicle and brush is halted when the brush is moved upor down in relation to the vehicle, and this relative horizontal movement is 'resumedas soon as the brush is lifted out of contact with the vehicle.

The lifting motor for the roof brush may be'reversed'so that the brush executes an upward movement when the front of the vehicle is washed and downward-movement when the rear of the vehicle is washed.

The switch-meansfor the altematingoperation of the horizontal and vertical movements 'isrelatively complex in known carwash installationsand-it.isaccordingly the primary object of the present invention to simplify theswitching arrangement without reducing .theueffectiveness .or the-speed of the switch actuation.

This object is accomplished imaccordance with this invention byprovidin'ga switch-actuating lever whichis operatively associated with the brush andthe rope,-.being.responsiveto the pendulum movement of the brushand theupand down-movement of the rope.

In the preferred embodiment the rotary brushis mounted on a frame whichcarries a camfollower, suchasroller; for pendulum movement with;the frame, and-two cammingsurfaces are provided on the switch-actuating lever forrcooperation with the cam followerin-respective directions of the'pendulum movement of the frame. The rope may be anchored to a lever which is normally-springibiasedagainsttheswitching actuating lever so that the'tension or slackness of the rope constitutes switching positions.

With such a switch-actuating mechanism,'it has become possible to actuateboth switching positions with a single-element. This is surprising and unexpected since two otherwise totally independent and differentmovementsareused. for the switch actuation, i.e. thepe'ndulumunovement ofthebrush andthe tension of the rope which-moves thebrushupand down.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONOF DRAWING The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more :apparent from the following description of a now preferredembodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein F [Gr 1 is a schematic view of thesuspensionsystem for moving a roof brush up and down in a carwash installation;

FIG. 2 isa side-view of the brush mounting; and

FIG. '3 is a-view of the switch control arrangement according to this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION and 5, 6. The movement of the frame andthe brush carried thereby is effected by guide or control rope 8 which is guided to. lifting motor 10 by pulley 9. The rotary drive for the brush and the switch-operated control circuit for the upward and downward movement of the brush frame are well known, and are merely schematically indicatedby box 11, this mechanism being carried by frame 2.

FIG. 2 shows'the pivotalmounting of the brush frame 2, which enables the brush to execute apendulummovement. Freely= rotatable guide rollers'IZ and Bare shown running in a. fixedly mounted guide rail 14. The upper guide roller 12' is fixedly mounted on brush frame 2:while the lower guide roller 13 is mounted on the free end of a pendulum lever 15 whose upper end is fulcrumed to frame 2 at pivot 17, the pivot of the pendulum lever being positioned above the rotary axle 16 of the brush 1.

When, as shown by arrow 18, a force is exerted upon the brushin the direction of the arrow, the brush frame and the brush swings about pivot I7. This pendulum movement is used bellcrank lever 21 which is-mounted for pivotal movement about fulcrum 22, this movement being limited by stop 23 mounted adjacent upwardly extending arm 30 of the bellcrank lever. The lower or horizontally extending arm 24 of the bellcrank lever has camming surfaces 25and-26 for cooperation with cam follower 20 which is mounted on pendulum lever 15. In this manner, the swinging'motion of the pendulum lever is transmitted to the bellcrank lever, as indicated in broken lines in'FlG. 3.

Switch-'27 of the operating mechanism 11 is connected to roller 28- in contact with thesurface 29 of arm 24 so that the pivoting motions of pendulum lever 15 and of bellcrank'lever .21 operate the switch for'movement of the brush'frame. in

respective,- opposite directions.

The-guide or control'rope 8 has an eye or loops 36 connecting the rope to upper-arm 35- of anchoring lever '33 whose lo-wer arm 34carries roller 32 in contact with surface3l of arm 30 of the .bellcrank lever. Arm 35' is biased about pivot 33' by spring 37 to hold the roller 32- normally against the surface 31.

When rope 8 is under tension, i.e. when the brush frame is lifted, for instance, the upper arm 35 of anchoring lever 33 is pulled againstthe bias of spring 37 against fixed stop 38, thus assuring a rigid connection between rope 8 and the brush frame 2 and the control mechanism. However, when the brush is in contact with, and supported,I-by the roof or other top surface ofa vehicle being washed, the rope 8 is slack, and the ten- .brush frame 2. Operation of the switch stops the relative movement of the vehicle and brush frame and actuates the lifting motorslo to raise the brush frame and move the brush out of contact with the vehicle. As soonas this pressure is reduced below the adjusted operating level, the switch'27 is again in the position wherein it actuates the mechanism-for moving either the vehicle or the brush frame relative to each other and .the lifting motor for the brush frame is stopped. In this manner; the brush is kept in contact-with the vehicle from the 'front to the hack of the roof.

lclaim:

l...ln a carwash installation which comprises a roof brush mounted for pendulum movement about a substantially horizontal pivoting axis;- rope means for suspending the brush; a vehicle to bewashed and the brush being movable in a substantially horizontal direction inrelation to each other, and

the brush being movable up and down by a rope of the rope means in relation to the vehicle; a switch actuatable into a first position wherein the relative horizontal movement of the vehicle and brush is effectuated and a second position wherein the up and down movement of the brush is efi'ectuated; and a mechanism for alternatingly actuating the switch into the first and second positions, the improvement of the switch-actuating mechanism including a switch-actuating lever operatively associated with the switch and responsive to the movements of the brush and the rope.

2. In the carwash installation of claim 1, a frame mounted for pendulum movement and supporting the brush, a cam follower mounted on the frame, and two camming surfaces on the switch-actuating lever and cooperating with the cam follower in respective directions of the pendulum movement of the frame.

3. In the carwash installation of claim 1, a movable anchoring means for the rope, and spring means for normally holding the anchoring means in contact with the switch-actuating lever.

4. In the carwash installation of claim 1, the switch-actuating lever being a bellcrank lever having two arms, one of the bellcrank lever arms being operatively associated with, and responsive to the pendulum movement of, the brush, and the other bellcrank lever arm being operatively associated with, and responsive to the up and down movement of, the rope.

5. In the carwash installation of claim 1, a frame mounted for pendulum movement and supporting the brush, a cam follower pivotally mounted on the frame, the switch-actuating lever being a bellcrank lever having two arms, one of the bellcrank lever arms having two camming surfaces cooperating with the cam follower in respective directions of the pendulum movement of the frame, an anchoring means for the rope, and spring means for normally holding the anchoring means in contact with the other bellcrank lever arm.

6. In the carwash installation of claim 1, an anchoring lever for the rope, the rope being attached to one arm of the anchoring lever, and a spring means normally holding the other arm of the anchoring lever in contact with the switch-actuating lever. 

1. In a carwash installation which comprises a roof brush mounted for pendulum movement about a substantially horizontal pivoting axis; rope means for suspending the brush; a vehicle to be washed and the brush being movable in a substantially horizontal direction in relation to each other, and the brush being movable up and down by a rope of the rope means in relation to the vehicle; a switch actuatable into a first position wherein the relative horizontal movement of the vehicle and brush is effectuated and a second position wherein the up and down movement of the brush is effectuated; and a mechanism for alternatingly actuating the switch into the first and second positions, the improvement of the switch-actuating mechanism including a switch-actuating lever operatively associated with the switch and responsive to the movements of the brush and the rope.
 2. In the carwash installation of claim 1, a frame mounted for pendulum movement and supporting the brush, a cam follower mounted on the frame, and two camming surfaces on the switch-actuating lever and cooperating with the cam follower in respective directions of the pendulum movement of the frame.
 3. In the carwash installation of claim 1, a movable anchoring means for the rope, and spring means for normally holding the anchoring means in contact with the switch-actuating lever.
 4. In the carwash installation of claim 1, the switch-actuating lever being a bellcrank lever having two arms, one of the bellcrank lever arms being operatively associated with, and responsive to the pendulum movement of, the brush, and the other bellcrank lever arm being operatively associated with, and responsive to the up and down movement of, the rope.
 5. In the carwash installation of claim 1, a frame mounted for pendulum movement and supporting the brush, a cam follower pivotally mounted on the frame, the switch-actuating lever being a bellcrank lever having two arms, one of the bellcrank lever arms having two camming surfaces cooperating with the cam follower in respective directions of the pendulum movement of the frame, an anchoring means for the rope, and spring means for normally holding the anchoring means in contact with the other bellcrank lever arm.
 6. In the carwash installation of claim 1, an anchoring lever for the rope, the rope being attached to one arm of the anchoring lever, and a spring means normally holding the other arm of the anchoring lever in contact with the switch-actuating lever. 